| Moment of Reflection |
 Let us recall Catherine's words about foundations. She wrote, "Hurrah for foundations, makes the old young and the young merry." These words were written nearly ten years after the forming of the new community when she was then referring to new houses of Mercy. Perhaps we learn anew from her that we should always celebrate new life. Old and young, veteran and new, no matter what one's position or status, all are called to celebrate and to have hope.
We prayed in gratitude for the foundation of the Sisters of Mercy, December 12, 1831. We know that Catherine McAuley believed, and persevered and provided inspiration to others who would join her. She continues to inspire in our time. She would write in a December letter in 1840,"We have one solid comfort amidst this little tripping about: our hearts can always be in the same place, centered in God, for whom alone we go forward or stay back."
December 2011, in the midst of all challenges, faithful to the charism of Catherine McAuley, lay women and men and Sisters of Mercy today continue the work. Mercy education goes forward, centered in God, with belief in the work of each day and the goodness of all who serve in and for Mercy education. |
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| 2012 Sponsorship Seminar | The 2012 Sponsorship Seminar presented by the Network for Mercy Education will be held March 11-12, 2012 in New York. The program begins at mid-day Sunday and concludes at noon on Monday. The
hope is to further dialogue and learning between and among those who
share in the ministry of Mercy secondary and elementary education.
 At the 2012 Sponsorship Seminar participants will be invited to consider the questions of our time: what will help provide the support, leadership, relationships, and more needed for Mercy education to flourish into the future? How can lay leaders and Sisters of Mercy share collaboratively in identifying meaningful responses to these needs? How do all in Mercy education proactively continue to learn? How do we continually shape Mercy education which is committed to the charism, core values and tradition of Mercy? How do we raise up and support leaders to this end? How can a commitment to further the charism of Catherine McAuley provide added meaning in one's life? These and other questions will form the basis of dialogue at the 2012 Sponsorship Seminar. Please mark your calendar. Program materials and registration materials will be sent in January 2012. |
| Mater Christi School Receives Grant |
 Mater Christi School, Burlington VT, wrote to the Network with this good news for sharing with other Mercy educators: "Six years ago, the Sisters of Mercy established the Mercy Peace Initiative Grant Program with funds from the sale of Trinity College. Since that time, grants from this program have benefited many individuals and organizations. Mater Christi School was recently awarded $1,000 to directly benefit teachers and students by enabling cultural competency training for faculty and staff and increasing the students' exposure to diverse cultures through literature." Click here to read the full story.
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| A Seat at the Table |
A Seat at the Table is a program designed as a resource to administrators and members of Boards of Directors/Trustees for Mercy secondary and elementary schools.
To access these materials visit the site www.mercyed.org. The site requires a user name and password. The user name is table and the password is mercy. All who read this newsletter are invited to access the site and to share the user name and password with those related to Mercy education seeking to lean more.
Reading materials, PowerPoint presentations, audio presentations and more are provided in these categories: Gospel, Canonical Relationships, Sisters of Mercy, Mercy Education, Mission, Governance and Stewardship, and the Mentor Program.
Additional materials are added to the site as it develops. |
| Mercy Learning Online |
Throughout the months of December and January the Network will be in dialogue with schools about the Mercy Learning Online program seeking ideas for additional courses and use. A conference call was held on December 7th and a call is scheduled for January 18, 2012 at 10:30 EST. The Network has posted the dates for Summer classes 2012. Moreover, the Network wishes to expand course offerings for the academic year. For more information or to offer input into the planning process, please contact the Network. |
| Conference Calls | Conference calls can be a helpful way to share ideas. A listing of the calls and the groups that are in dialogue with one another is posted at the Network website. Click on Network Programs and then Conference Calls. This listing is updated as the groups schedule additional calls. The Network can schedule additional groups based on interest. Please contact the Network with ideas.
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May this Holy season be blessed and the new year filled with hope. Thank you for reading this newsletter. Please send a note if you see any errors or send ideas for future issues. Sincerely,
Sister Corinne Raven, RSM
Network for Mercy Education |
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| Network for Mercy Education |  |
Network News - a publication of the Network for Mercy Education
Distributed approximately every six weeks to Sister of Mercy Leadership, Mercy secondary and elementary presidents and principals, the Network Board, persons in sponsorship roles, Mercy friends and more.
For information or resources, contact the Network |
| Administrator Openings | |
The Network posts administrator openings at the request of a Mercy secondary or elementary school or educational center.
Currently the positions are posted:
President, Mother McAuley High School, Chicago, Il
Principal, Notre Dame High School, Elmira, NY
President, St. Mary Academy, Bay View, Riverside, RI
President,
Our Lady of Mercy Academy, Syosset, NY. Check the Network website for further information on this opening as it becomes available.
Check the Network website for these and for any additional openings as information is shared with the Network for posting.
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| Save the Date! | | On the December conference call of Mercy IT/Tech persons, those on the call agreed that a gathering of tech persons in February would be a valuable thing. A date was set: February 23, 2012 in Philadelphia. Watch for an email with how to share ideas for the agenda. A follow-up planning call has been set for January 24 at 1:00 EST. The conversation will also include how to have "virtual" sharing as part of the meeting for those who cannot attend. Registration information will be sent in January. | |
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| Calendar Planning for 2012-2013 | | Mercy secondary educators will gather in Cincinnati, Ohio on October 5-6, 2012 for Mercy Secondary Education Conference XXXI co-hosted by Mother of Mercy High School and McAuley High School. |
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